Belief
Hitoshi tried his best to act normal when he regained consciousness.
He awoke to Fumei by his side, the latter's head bobbing up and down in their sleep. It took all of his strength to not shuffle away from the blonde in pure disgust and treachery. The fucker had been lying to him this whole time.
About what? Hitoshi still didn't know why or what, but Kamimura's intervention before Fumei could finish… whatever it was that he did to make Hitoshi compliant allowed him to regain a semblance of thought and remember. He remained prone on the bed and glared at Fumei's innocent sleeping form on his left.
It has been about three months since they've known each other. They had a rough start together, but that changed after the sports festival. He decided to trust Fumei with his progress, much like the rest of the formation group did. How could they not? Fumei had the intuition for improving other people's as though they were his own. His methods aren't always forgiving, but it has pushed Hitoshi and the others far beyond they could on their own.
Fumei was also… a breath of fresh air. He was like the sun, warm and youthful, that kept pulling Hitoshi out from the darkest recesses of his unforgiving and self-critical mind. He managed to make Hitoshi do things he normally wouldn't do with his peers. It was a little liberating.
However, now that he knew what Fumei could do, so freely able to control him, pleading him to do as he wanted like a lost pup, Hitoshi was left questioning if any of what they've been through for the past three months were even real; all annoying banter and idol cafe hangouts included.
He gripped the sheets in silent fury as he glared through the other's sleeping form.
If he could lie to me that easily, what else did he lie about?
He thought back to as early as when they first met. During the entrance exam, Fumei had been irritably blunt and forward about what he thought. He also acted the same during the assessment test, and Hitoshi was convinced Fumei had difficulty hiding his thoughts. He often offended people with how he explained his thoughts that, under intense scrutiny, were actually sincere and kind.
He meant well towards others, unless he doesn't. It was a rare occasion, but Fumei had a tendency to be apathetic towards things or people that we're not of importance to his current goal. This was most obvious during the entrance exam, and whenever he trained them with an iron fist. It has always bothered Hitoshi where this part of him stemmed from but he never found a reason to question it till now.
They were faint moments, but Hitoshi has seen untapped anger lingering at the corners of Fumei's eyes at times. It reminded him of his own frustrations before he entered Yuuei, and Fumei has only ever acknowledged it once, albeit very vaguely.
Hitoshi wouldn't call Fumei his friend, but he's not quite an acquaintance either. They shared far too much time together to know how the other acted and thought, as well as confided in each other.
Hitoshi studied the matching keychain he and Fumei had. It was a simple gesture and it meant nothing, but somehow, Hitoshi saw it as a sign of their camaraderie. For all the odd and almost, unexplainable traits Fumei had, this keychain reminded him that Fumei has helped him more times that he could count.
He owed everything to him. He never would've gotten this far into his hero training if it weren't for his and Awaseru-sensei's help. He thought about Fumei's motivation to help him - them. He wanted to breed heroes that knew what it felt like to be powerless. It resonated with Hitoshi so much that despite his own reservations against him the first time, he found himself opening up bit by bit, until he found himself trusting him.
Was it all a show? His warmth, his helping hand, his kindness.
Was none of the time they spent together, their arguments, real? Did anyone, did Hitoshi, even know who the real Fumei was?
Fumei shifted on his chair, his eyelids slowly opened and focused on Hitoshi, who could only stare at him with silent fury. He tried not to glare too much, suspicious of his true character now.
Whatever Fumei did to him earlier, asking him to sleep and forget. Make him pliant. Kamimura managed to stop it, and Hitoshi was now fully aware of the betrayal that's been happening under his nose.
"You're awake," the blond said, his voice as assuring as ever. Hitoshi wanted to fucking hate him, but something inside Hitoshi refused to let it happen. It pissed him the fuck off.
Fumei frowned and placed the back of his hand on Hitoshi's forehead, feeling his temperature. Hitoshi bit his tongue. He let the irritation slip on his face. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah," he answered with a sigh. "Just a bit dazed." Fumei must never know that Hitoshi already knew. "What happened?" If he did, Fumei would just put him under again. Whatever or however he managed to do that, Hitoshi couldn't allow it to happen again.
Fumei seemed satisfied with his inquiry and relaxed on his chair. He recalled details of his collapse as perfectly as Hitoshi could also remember. There was not a single lie that exited his lips, but it wasn't the whole truth either.
He left out the part where he told Hitoshi to sleep, and Hitoshi, wanted to follow it.
They returned to the dorms together, Fumei chatting him up as he usually did as though nothing happened. They met with Makito, and a very reluctant Akusa, for final preparations for their social studies presentation tomorrow.
Hitoshi noted Akusa's eyes on him, and he was certain that behind his mask, Akusa was enjoying himself. He could still remember the mental push Akusa provided before Hitoshi collapsed under whatever it was that was blocking his memories.
As they sat together and Makito started mumbling about the various anxieties she had about tomorrow, Hitoshi kept his eye on Akusa, and ever so occasionally towards Fumei.
Ever since the beginning, both Akusa and Fumei were at odds with each other. Everyone initially thought it was both their egos clashing, but Hitoshi knew from being around Fumei too much that Akusa knew something about Fumei. Their interactions were always heated because Akusa was waiting for the latter to slip.
He also approached Hitoshi about it back in Nara, warning him of Fumei's true colors. He didn't believe him then, but he certainly did now. Did he trust Fumei? He wanted to trust him. He wasn't sure. Not until he knew the whole picture.
Hitoshi couldn't risk letting Fumei know, so his next best option would be to ask him.
Fumei would undoubtedly keep an eye on him, given the times Akusa tried to get a rise out of the former using Hitoshi. He needed to be discreet.
While he tried to figure out how he could get Akusa alone, his mind wandered to how Fumei was even able to control and mess with his memories in the first place.
A person can only have one quirk. Hitoshi is aware that some people can have two, like Todoroki from the hero class, but even then, his quirk was genetically possible. One cold and one hot, two halves that make up a whole. Hitoshi didn't know what quirks Fumei's parents had, but they certainly could not breed both his solid light quirk and a memory altering quirk.
It was quite possibly impossible.
"Did you send the Nomu clips yet?" Makito asked while she typed on her laptop, and Fumei was seated beside her, doing the same.
"Yeah it should be there."
Hitoshi took in a breath. Nomu, engineered creatures that had multiple quirks. He looked up to Fumei, who was too busy running things with Makito to notice him staring. It wasn't possible, was it?
Nomu's were brainless creatures that answer only to the League, Fumei for one, did not look like a deformed creature with an exposed brain. One can argue that Fumei tended not to use his brain when he speaks, but that didn't prove anything. However… it was the only explanation Hitoshi had.
It sounded impossible, but it was like that great detective said, whatever remains, however improbable must be the truth.
Continuing with this line of thought, Hitoshi found himself growing more and more conflicted. If Fumei received his secondary quirk from the person behind the Nomu's then that would mean that he was also connected to the League of Villains. Picturing Fumei as a villain was easy. His bouts of apathy was all Hitoshi had to focus on but picturing him to actually be one was difficult.
All his life, Hitoshi had been called a villain. He knew what people expected from a public menace. A villain. Fumei did not check any of those boxes.
Fumei voiced out his dislike for heroes many times, but that was only because they had grown complacent over the years. A fact that Hitoshi, nor anyone couldn't deny. He also witnessed a friend turn to villainy because the heroes couldn't help them in time. His experiences shaped his opinions, but even then, Fumei believed in people. He believed in the future of heroes.
A villain wouldn't believe in heroes.
Still, such a thought left a bad taste in his mouth. If Fumei had been lying to him the whole time, what's to say he hadn't been lying about that either. He groaned to himself, digging his hands into his hair.
They all looked at him, concerned, with Fumei asking first. "Hey, buddy you doing okay?"
Hitoshi clicked his tongue, too pissed to put up a front on his current dilemma. He didn't know what's real, or what's fake anymore. "Just another migraine. Probably left over from earlier. Is it alright if I turn the night in?"
Fumei frowned at him, his eyes obviously filled with worry, but all Hitoshi could see were eyes that tore holes into his excuse. "Oh, it's alright Shinsou. We can handle this. You get some rest," Makito said.
Hitoshi nodded at her, grateful and Fumei stood up to walk him up. Hitoshi held his hand up to stop him, surprising the blond. "I know where my room is, you don't have to follow me."
"Oh- okay," Fumei said sullenly as he sat back down. "Sleep well, then."
Look at what you did, you made him sad.
Hitoshi shook away the thought he had no idea where came from and turned on his heels. He didn't care if Fumei looked disappointed. He didn't care if he looked hurt. He lied to him. And yet, Hitoshi felt his own heart shatter just seeing that look on his face.
Why did he feel that way? He didn't know either. He just decided to shove it down where the rest of his untouched feelings from his younger years were locked and went on with his life.
Akusa's eyes followed after Hitoshi's retreating form and stood up to gather his things. "If he's getting a pass, then I shall make my leave as well."
"Wha-" Makito squealed, "but we haven't practiced! You haven't even told us what we'd be doing?!"
Akusa waved his hand. "As decided by the group, I would lead the presentation and rest assured, I made sure everything was perfect for tomorrow. You really shouldn't worry this much for something that is beyond your control Miss Makito."
Fumei crossed his arms. "Yeah, yeah we get it. Your part's done, but we still need to know what you have. It better not be a Nomu hiding under your pants."
Akusa chuckled. "You would know all about that, now wouldn't you?" He pulled a small metallic orb from within his shadow and rolled it over to Fumei. "If you can figure that out within the hour, I will share with you what I have planned. Till then, I will be in my room." Akusa exited with Hitoshi, Blanksheet following close behind.
"He's being extra annoying today isn't he?"
Fumei narrowed his eyes at both students as they disappeared from sight, then at the orb in his hands. He turned it around to press on one of the many buttons on the orb, which caused the patterns on it to glow blue. He managed to turn it, like a rubix cube, but the intricate mechanism did not move the way he expected it too.
"Yes, he has been."
Hitoshi continued with the farce the next day.
Fumei greeted him in the morning, cheery as per usual, and Hitoshi dried to drag his energy down with his sleep deprived comments. Naturally, Fumei was undeterred by his gloomy morning persona and remained as bright as the sun.
He could not come to terms with the numerous truths his night of overthinking did, so Hitoshi decided to take things one at a time. He first needed to find out the conditions behind Fumei's second quirk. It allowed Fumei to make him compliant to his requests, similar to how Hitoshi's own brainwashing worked, but he was also able to lock away memories.
There was a minute distinction between their two quirks, and if Hitoshi actually tried to break it down, he might find a clear difference between the two. Unfortunately, Hitoshi was not the type to analyze quirks. He simply knew what worked and what didn't. He supposed he should ask Nagai's opinion about this at a later time.
However, a thought stopped him from confiding with anyone Fumei constantly talked to. Without knowing how his second quirk worked, Hitoshi feared that he'd been controlling the entire class as well. How many, or for how long, he didn't know.
Kureito kicked him on the leg on the way to the classroom as his own personal brand of greeting. Hitoshi tried to grab his hair, but the elusive student simply ducked under his reach. He didn't have proof, but Hitoshi was certain that the pink haired bastard was neatly wrapped around Fumei's finger. How did he know? He just had a gut feeling that wasn't opposed by this other voice in his head that liked to contradict him.
"Alright, you've had one whole month to get everything in order," Sensei said. "So let's get right to it, first up…" He shuffled the bundle of papers on his hand and pulled out a random one. "Quirk Singularity."
Katagiri approached the podium with a thick black folder cradled in her arms. Nusumi bounced from her seat, and together with Shanti, placed several cooking props on the table. Kureito closed his phone and wrapped an apron around his waist.
Hitoshi only half-listened when their group started using food analogy to explain quirk evolution because of his distracted thoughts. His interest in the subject only grew when Fumei stopped playing on his phone and actually listened in on the discussion when a paper from 70 years ago was mentioned.
Hitoshi didn't quite catch it, but it had something to do with, quirks being too powerful in the near future. Katagiri and her group weren't entertaining questions but Fumei raised his hand to gain their attention.
Katagiri paused and reluctantly called for him. "Yes? Fumei."
"Isn't that study a little too outdated? Like, seventy years old?"
Katagiri nodded pensively. "Indeed, we have tried to find any copies of this initial study, but it's been lost in time. We merely have readings that have stated it as their basis."
"Then that's not really much of a research is it?" Fumei asked. "What if that study was a hoax, it sounds very doomsday to me after all."
"That may be true, and yes, it could be a hoax, but the theory has merits for having persisted through time. The latest paper we have mentioning this theory was published just two months ago, pointing to the appearance of Nomu's as a bastardization of this scientific study."
Fumei chuckled, finding something funny in nothing, which earned him a few looks. Hitoshi took a quick note of it. A smirk tugged at the corner of Fumei's lips but he managed to quell it with a nonchalant cough.
"So that's where this quirk singularity theory is headed, Nomu's?"
Katagiri smiled, somehow pleased with the leap in thought. "Not quite, we think that whoever is manufacturing these creatures wanted to challenge the heights of this old theory. And if I'm allowed to hypothesize, I suppose they were thinking, to what extent does a quirk destroy a person?"
Fumei smiled, somehow content with the conclusion and leaned back. Katagiri resumed her presentation, while Hitoshi kept his eye on Fumei. He continued to ask questions to the other groups that followed, almost getting into a heated debate with Nagai about their paper on the now extinct Liberation Front.
"Finally, our last group. Approaching a new age of quirk evolution."
Fumei casually slipped from his chair and up to the front where he toyed around with an orb he received from Akusa the night before. Akusa walked over to whisper something to him while Makito set up their slideshow. Fumei clicked his tongue then shoved the puzzle he couldn't solve back at the taller student.
He raised an eyebrow at them and Akusa simply placed a finger on his lips, silently telling him to be quiet about it.
Akusa's shadows covered the windows, dimming the room, and pressed one of the many circular pads on the orb, then started twisting and pushing more buttons until it split into two and spewed out a glimmer of blue light.
"The birth of quirks ushered humanity into a new age where superpowers were no longer just ideas in manga." Various holographic pictures, tinted in a blue glow, were flashed across the room, showing people and their quirks. "A mythical child shone as though the Messiah was followed by more children capable of the impossible. If one can envision it, it can be willed into existence."
Akusa paced around the room with his hands crossed calmly behind him. "This pointed science into engineering quirks that would surpass the previous generation. As Miss Katagiri kindly coined, a step closer to the fabled Singularity. Fixed marriages were common, in vitro science found was reborn anew. All this started with the forethought to create a new and more powerful generation."
The orb shut itself, once again plunging the room in darkness. "This has been the way for more than two decades, however, some aren't as tied down by ethical reasons.".
Nusumi screamed and fell back when a realistic looking Nomu, whom Hitoshi recognized as the creature from USJ, appeared out of nowhere. Her shock caused multiple things in the room to break. Koharu's table dismantled itself and another lightbulb blew a fuse.
Ignoring their panic, Akusa continued on. "Quirk science would advance much faster if we bent the rules that limit our discovery. As per Miss Nusumi's reaction, I present to you the result of a genius' disregard of ethics or morality."
"By that logic, you're implying that Nomu's are the next step?" Shirogane spat from her corner, ever so skeptical about others due to her quirk. "You're saying illegal human experimentation, should be legal?"
"Do you not see them as such?" Akusa asked, seemingly perplexed. "Truly that is a shame that you've shied away from the future laid bare before you. And to answer your other question, I have not said such. Implied, yes? Agreed to it, not."
"Nomus are machines of chaos," Shirogane hissed. "They've killed people and the people that made them are evil."
"Evil," Akusa echoed in a pensive drawl. "Is such a subjective word. If it were not for inhumane studies in the distant past we would not have the medical care we know of at this time. I perceive the Nomu's as something similar."
Awaseru-sensei and the rest of the class stiffened at yet another polarizing opinion from Akusa. "As of current, they are mindless creatures manufactured by the League of Villains with the purpose of terrorizing society. In the eyes of many, they are but weapons of destruction and death. However, this fear prevents many from seeing the opportunities and breakthroughs they present," Akusa finished then turned to Fumei.
The blonde walked forward and directed everyone's attention to the board. "We'll show 3 clips of three different Nomu's captured in the past months. Try to figure out what they all have in common."
The first clip was of the USJ Nomu, recorded through the facilities backup cameras, regenerating limbs that were broken off by All Might's punches. The next was an amateur clip of a flying Nomu during the Hosu incident. It spit toxic fluid from its mouth that melted a lamplight and crushed a car with its barbed tail. The last clip was the lizard Nomu from Nara, throwing a tree with its four arms.
Makito shuddered at the memory, and Hitoshi placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "So? Did you notice anything?"
Shirogane huffed on her seat. "Nothing but monsters."
Fumei tilted his head. "Well yes, there's that. But something else..." He scanned the room that was suddenly too silent for its own good and said, "Nagai. Any thoughts?"
"Me? Why me?"
"You and I analyze quirks for a hobby, have a go at it."
Nagai rubbed his neck, mildly flattered. "Well… They uh - they've been modified, with the brains out and all." Fumei smiled, satisfied with his answers. "There's also… different quirks?"
"More specifically?"
Nagai started listing off all the obvious quirks on each Nomu. Fumei's eyes shined and applauded him for being in-depth, but it was Kureito who managed to summarize it neatly for the class. "They all have one quirk too many."
Hitoshi was actually surprised Kureito hadn't dozed off or kept his nose on his phone and actually listened.
"Jin's right," Fumei said. "The Nomu's have multiple quirks. With this in mind, our group researched people's opinions on the future, if we're being optimistic, that these inhumane experiments be made more humane. Would the public be open to such enhancement or not?"
The prospect of having multiple quirks in the future seemed to interest most of the class, and soon, Fumei had to juggle questions between two people while Makito read the answers they gained from surveys over the summer.
Shiosai raised his hand, and Fumei paused to stare at him for a bit. He wasn't wearing his headphones. "You had something to add, Shiosai?"
Normally, Shiosai would sign out his response to the class, and Kureito or Akusa would translate for him, but this time, the class was shocked when he opened his mouth. His voice was still soft, but it was definitely louder than his usual. "If quirks can be given, or added for the Nomu's, can they be taken away too?"
Fumei's words seemed to halt at his throat before he found it in him to answer. Akusa lowered his head, and slyly stepped next to Hitoshi. "Listen well, puppet. Do read between the lines. He likes that."
"Well, I'm not sure if quirks could be taken," Fumei slowly answered, "and if it would be possible with ethical science. We do know of several instances of people losing their quirks. Nagai knows about it -" the long tongued student hid behind his uniform coat, not that happy with his dark web adventures being shared to the class "-but it hasn't reached national television until Ragdoll lost hers."
"However, if such a science like that exists, one that gives and takes, wouldn't you think that it's breathtaking?" Fumei asked, his words growing more admirable by the second. "Quirks people can't control like Shiosai won't have to plague them anymore. They can live happier lives with quirks suited to their needs. Nomu's are... detestable, but I think we can learn something from them. We just need time, and the right people to see it the way we do."
Hitoshi watched Fumei intently as the class engaged in their own discussion contemplating Fumei's idealistic future. He had that hopeful look on his eyes again, the one that made Hitoshi believe he can do anything with his help.
Belief.
That was the deal breaker really.
Hitoshi could not accept the truth that Fumei may be a villain affiliated with the League. Their crowd was not his kind of company. They were destructive and angry at society that failed them. Fumei had hope for a world he no longer believed in. He had a vision he wanted to see, and acted to shape it - to mold heroes. That belief in others made Hitoshi want to open himself up to him in the first place. He believed that Hitoshi could be a hero, and he was going to make it so.
Hitoshi bit his lip. Even with that rationalization, he couldn't fully ignore the fact that Fumei was a dangerous person who had two quirks, a concept they've only seen with Nomus. If a person can't contain more than one quirk in their body, how is Fumei able to withstand it?
Hitoshi's eyes widened. Had Fumei been altered too, or maybe… in the process of being altered? He looked at the hologram of the USJ Nomu on Akusa's orb, and shuddered. He couldn't let Fumei become like that.
Akusa seemed to have read his thoughts as he stared and sighed. "I'll let you decide on what to do next. I do hope you make the right choice." He left to finish the rest of their report with Fumei; their synergy unparalleled given their similar views on this topic.
A world where quirks can be given to those that deserve it and taken from those that doesn't.
It left a bad taste in Hitoshi's mouth thinking of such a future where that was possible, but a thought lingered in his mind. Maybe… such a future wouldn't be so bad.
A/N: Looking back, damn the last update was during the start of quarantine. I lost all motivation to continue this but new inspiration burst through the door and here I am. Hopefully I don't disappear again after months and post maybe two or three more chapters within the month or two before disappearing again. So its sorta revealed? What's left is why and how, and what Hitoshi plans to do with this.
See you next chapter!
